### 1\. The origins – The Great Ace Attorney Approximately a century before Phoenix Wright's adventures, Japan is undergoing rapid modernisation during the Meiji era. Its legal system is heavily influenced by Western institutions. ### Ryunosuke Naruhodo Ryunosuke Naruhodo is a Japanese university student and an ancestor of Phoenix Wright. His life changes when his close friend Kazuma Asogi becomes involved in a murder case. Ryunosuke eventually becomes a defence attorney and travels to Britain to learn about its legal system. His companions include: * Kazuma Asogi: Ryunosuke's friend, a law student who wants to reform Japan's legal system. * Susato Mikotoba: A judicial assistant who helps Ryunosuke. * Herlock Sholmes: An eccentric but exceptionally intelligent detective. * Iris Wilson: A young scientific genius and Sholmes' companion. ### The British legal conspiracy During his time in Britain, Ryunosuke investigates a series of seemingly unrelated murders.These crimes eventually lead to the discovery of a conspiracy involving powerful British officials. The central figure is Professor, a serial killer whose crimes were covered up by the British establishment. The conspiracy is connected to the judiciary, police and influential members of British society. Ryunosuke eventually discovers the truth and helps expose the corruption. The Great Ace Attorney storyline establishes the Naruhodo family's legal legacy. However, Ryunosuke's adventures are largely separate from Phoenix's modern-day storyline. ### 2\. The DL-6 incident – The beginning of Phoenix's story Several decades after Ryunosuke's adventures, the modern Ace Attorney storyline begins. Phoenix Wright, Miles Edgeworth and Larry Butz were childhood friends. Their friendship was eventually affected by an incident that would shape Miles' entire life. ### Gregory Edgeworth's murder Miles Edgeworth's father, Gregory Edgeworth, was a respected defence attorney. He believed that the legal system should prioritise discovering the truth rather than simply winning cases. During an earthquake, Gregory, Miles and court bailiff Yanni Yogi became trapped inside a courthouse elevator. The elevator lost power, and the situation became increasingly dangerous. Gregory was subsequently murdered. Yanni Yogi was accused of killing him and was eventually acquitted due to insufficient evidence. However, the real murderer was prosecutor Manfred von Karma. ### Manfred von Karma Manfred was one of the most successful prosecutors in the country. He was obsessed with maintaining a perfect prosecution record. Years earlier, Gregory had successfully exposed a mistake in one of Manfred's cases, resulting in a penalty against him. Unable to accept the humiliation, Manfred shot Gregory inside the elevator. He subsequently manipulated the investigation to conceal his involvement. The incident destroyed Miles' trust in the justice system. Miles eventually became a prosecutor himself, believing that his purpose was to secure guilty verdicts. This belief becomes one of the central conflicts of the original trilogy. ### 3\. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Phoenix Wright is a rookie defence attorney who begins working under his childhood friend Mia Fey. Mia is an experienced lawyer investigating corruption within the legal system. ### Phoenix's first cases Phoenix initially defends people who appear overwhelmingly guilty. His early cases include: * Defending Larry Butz against a murder accusation. * Defending Miles Edgeworth against murder charges. * Investigating the DL-6 incident. * Exposing Manfred von Karma. * Uncovering corruption involving chief prosecutor Damon Gant. ### The truth about Miles Edgeworth Phoenix eventually discovers that Miles has built his entire career around the belief that prosecutors must always win. His father's murder and Manfred's manipulation created this worldview. Phoenix defeats Miles in court and forces him to reconsider what being a prosecutor actually means. Miles eventually begins questioning the legal system and his own motivations. ### Mia Fey's murder Mia belongs to the Fey family, a family of powerful spirit mediums. Her mother is Misty Fey, and her younger sister is Maya Fey. Mia investigates powerful businessman Redd White, who has been murdering people to protect his secrets. White discovers that Mia is investigating him and murders her. Phoenix eventually exposes White and brings him to justice. Mia continues appearing throughout the franchise through Maya's spirit-channeling abilities. ### 4\. The Fey family and Justice for All The Fey family is descended from generations of spirit mediums.Their village, Kurain, follows an ancient spiritual tradition in which certain family members can channel the spirits of deceased people.The family's leadership is determined by spiritual ability. ### The family members Misty Fey: Mother of Mia and Maya. She is a powerful spirit medium who disappears after the DL-6 incident. Mia Fey: An experienced defence attorney who becomes Phoenix's mentor. Maya Fey: Mia's younger sister and Phoenix's closest companion. She inherits the responsibility of becoming the next spiritual leader of Kurain. Morgan Fey: Misty's sister and Pearl's mother. She believes her daughter deserves to inherit the family's leadership. Pearl Fey: Morgan's daughter and Maya's young cousin. She possesses exceptionally powerful spiritual abilities. ### Morgan's resentment Morgan believes Maya has unfairly inherited the position of spiritual leadership. She wants Pearl to become the next Master of Kurain instead. Her resentment eventually develops into a dangerous conspiracy. ### The Matt Engarde case Phoenix is hired to defend famous actor Matt Engarde, who has been accused of murder. Initially, Phoenix believes his client is innocent. However, he discovers that Engarde is actually responsible for commissioning a murder. Engarde has manipulated the situation to make it difficult for Phoenix to expose him. Phoenix must choose between protecting his client and revealing the truth. He ultimately refuses to help Engarde escape justice. ## Franziska von Karma Manfred von Karma's daughter, Franziska, becomes a prosecutor. She shares her father's obsession with perfection and believes that losing a case is unacceptable. She also has a complicated relationship with Miles Edgeworth, whom she considers a rival. ### 5\. Trials and Tribulations – The truth about Mia and Godot The third game reveals the history of Phoenix, Mia, Dahlia Hawthorne and Godot. ### Phoenix's university years Before becoming a lawyer, Phoenix attended university. He became romantically involved with Dahlia Hawthorne. Dahlia manipulated him into believing that she was innocent and eventually framed him for theft. Mia defended Phoenix and exposed Dahlia's manipulation. Dahlia was eventually revealed to be a dangerous criminal responsible for several murders. ### Diego Armando Diego Armando was Mia's mentor and romantic partner. He was an experienced defence attorney who helped Mia develop her legal skills. However, Dahlia poisoned him, leaving him in a coma. During his absence, Mia was murdered by Redd White. When Diego eventually woke up, he discovered that Mia was dead. He blamed Phoenix for failing to protect her. Consumed by grief and resentment, Diego adopted the identity of Godot. ### Godot's prosecution career Godot becomes a mysterious prosecutor who wears a visor and constantly drinks coffee. He develops an intense personal hatred towards Phoenix. However, his actions are not simply motivated by revenge. He struggles with the guilt of having failed to protect Mia and wants to prove that he could have saved her. ### The final Kurain tragedy Morgan Fey develops a plan to have Maya murdered during a spirit-channeling ceremony. Her plan involves manipulating Pearl and using Dahlia's spirit. Misty Fey eventually returns to protect Maya. Godot intervenes during the ceremony and kills Misty while attempting to save Maya. Phoenix discovers the truth behind the events. Godot finally accepts responsibility for his actions. The original trilogy concludes with Phoenix finding closure regarding Mia's death and his relationship with Godot. ### 6\. Miles Edgeworth Investigations The Investigations games follow Miles Edgeworth after the original trilogy. Rather than participating in courtroom trials, Edgeworth investigates crimes directly. ### Ace Attorney Investigations Edgeworth becomes involved in investigations concerning international smuggling operations and organised crime.He works alongside: * Dick Gumshoe: A detective who remains loyal to Edgeworth. * Kay Faraday: A young thief who identifies herself as the Great Thief Yatagarasu. * Shi-Long Lang: An Interpol agent who initially distrusts prosecutors. The investigation forces Edgeworth to confront corruption that extends beyond individual criminal cases. He increasingly recognises that his responsibility is to discover the truth rather than simply secure convictions. ## Investigations 2: Prosecutor's Gambit The second game explores corruption within the legal and political establishment. One of its central characters is Sebastian Debeste, a young prosecutor. Sebastian's father, Blaise Debeste, is a powerful and corrupt authority figure who manipulates his son's life and career. Sebastian initially appears incompetent and lacks confidence in his abilities. However, Edgeworth helps him uncover the truth about his father. Sebastian eventually develops his own understanding of justice. This storyline further completes Edgeworth's transformation from an ambitious prosecutor into someone genuinely committed to the truth. ### 7\. Apollo Justice – The seven-year gap Approximately seven years after the original trilogy, Phoenix Wright is no longer a practising attorney. A new protagonist, Apollo Justice, enters the story. ### Phoenix's disbarment Phoenix was defending a client in a murder trial. During the proceedings, he unknowingly presented forged evidence. The incident destroyed his professional reputation and resulted in his disbarment. Phoenix subsequently became a professional poker player. He also adopted a young girl named Trucy Wright. Despite losing his attorney's badge, Phoenix continued investigating crimes and collecting evidence. ### Kristoph Gavin Apollo begins his legal career under defence attorney Kristoph Gavin. Kristoph appears to be an intelligent and respectable lawyer.However, he is secretly responsible for manipulating evidence and committing murders. He is eventually exposed by Apollo. Kristoph's crimes are particularly important because they demonstrate that corruption exists within the defence profession itself. ### Trucy Wright Trucy is Phoenix's adopted daughter. She is a magician from the Gramarye family, a famous group of stage performers. She works alongside Phoenix at the Wright Anything Agency. However, she has a major family secret. Trucy is Apollo's biological half-sister. Their mother is Thalassa Gramarye. Neither initially knows the truth about their relationship. ### The Gramarye family The Gramaryes are a famous family of magicians. Their history involves inheritance disputes, betrayal, murder and hidden identities. Thalassa was involved in a serious accident and was believed to have died. However, she survived with amnesia. She eventually became a famous singer under another identity. The family mysteries surrounding Thalassa remain important throughout the later games. ### 8\. Dual Destinies – The Dark Age of the Law Phoenix eventually returns to practising law. However, the legal system is experiencing a crisis known as the Dark Age of the Law. The public has lost confidence in lawyers, prosecutors and the courts because of fabricated evidence and wrongful convictions. Three defence attorneys become central to the story: * Phoenix Wright * Apollo Justice * Athena Cykes ### Athena Cykes Athena is a young defence attorney who specialises in psychology. She possesses an ability called the Mood Matrix, which allows her to analyse emotions during witness testimony. As a child, Athena lived in Europe with her mother, Metis Cykes. Metis was a scientist researching artificial intelligence and psychology. Athena also knew Simon Blackquill, who became an important part of her childhood. ### Metis Cykes' murder One day, Metis was murdered. Athena was discovered at the crime scene holding a bloody knife and became the primary suspect. Simon Blackquill was eventually convicted of Metis' murder. Athena grew up believing that Simon had killed her mother. However, Simon had accepted responsibility because he wanted to protect Athena. ### Simon Blackquill Simon is a prosecutor who continues working despite being sentenced to death. He deliberately presents himself as a dangerous and intimidating individual. In reality, he is deeply protective of Athena. He accepted his conviction because he believed it was necessary to protect her from the truth surrounding her mother's murder. ### The Phantom The game's main conspiracy involves an international spy known as the Phantom. The Phantom can assume other identities through disguises and impersonation. He infiltrated the police department under the identity of detective Bobby Fulbright. The real Bobby Fulbright had already been murdered. The Phantom was responsible for several events connected to the game's larger conspiracy. Phoenix, Apollo and Athena eventually expose him. The discovery helps bring the Dark Age of the Law towards an end. ### 9\. Spirit of Justice – The Kingdom of Khura'in The story expands beyond the main setting when Phoenix travels to the Kingdom of Khura'in. Khura'in is a country where spirit channeling plays a major role in its legal system. Unlike the legal system Phoenix knows, Khura'in's government has created an oppressive system that punishes defence attorneys. ### The Defense Culpability Act The Defense Culpability Act punishes defence attorneys when their clients are convicted. A lawyer defending an innocent person can therefore face execution if the court finds their client guilty. The law was introduced following political turmoil approximately 23 years before the game's events. As a result, defence attorneys are treated as criminals by much of society. Phoenix challenges the law and attempts to restore the right to a proper defence. ### Apollo's biological family This game finally reveals Apollo's origins. Apollo was born to: Jove Justice: His biological father, who was murdered when Apollo was very young. Thalassa Gramarye: His biological mother, who is also Trucy's mother. After Jove's death, Apollo was adopted by Dhurke Sahdmadhi, a defence attorney and revolutionary from Khura'in. Dhurke raised Apollo alongside his biological son, Nahyuta. Apollo's family connections include: | Character | Relationship | | -------------------- | ---------------------- | | Thalassa Gramarye | Biological mother | | Jove Justice | Biological father | | Trucy Wright | Half-sister | | Dhurke Sahdmadhi | Adoptive father | | Nahyuta Sahdmadhi | Adoptive brother | | Rayfa Padma Khura'in | Biological half-sister | ### Dhurke Sahdmadhi Dhurke is the leader of a revolutionary organisation called the Defiant Dragons. The organisation seeks to overthrow Khura'in's oppressive government and restore justice. Dhurke is portrayed as a criminal by the government, but he is actually fighting against its corruption. He raised Apollo with strong beliefs about justice and the importance of defending innocent people. ### Queen Ga'ran Ga'ran is the primary antagonist. She seized power after the death of her sister, Queen Amara. She established a dictatorship and manipulated Khura'in's legal system to maintain control. Her government forces Nahyuta to work as a prosecutor. Nahyuta is placed under pressure because Ga'ran threatens the people he loves. Meanwhile, Rayfa Padma Khura'in is raised to believe that her government is legitimate. ### The final revolution Phoenix and Apollo eventually expose Ga'ran's crimes. The investigation reveals that: * Amara survived the assassination attempt. * Dhurke was murdered before the final confrontation. * Maya had channelled Dhurke's spirit, allowing him to appear to Apollo. * Ga'ran was responsible for the murders and political conspiracy. Apollo exposes Ga'ran as an illegitimate ruler. Her regime collapses, and Rayfa becomes the new queen. Apollo decides to remain in Khura'in to help rebuild its legal system. This establishes him as an independent hero rather than simply remaining Phoenix's successor. ### 10\. The major family histories ### The Wright and Justice family * Phoenix Wright: A famous defence attorney. * Trucy Wright: Phoenix's adopted daughter. * Apollo Justice: Phoenix's colleague and Trucy's biological half-brother. * Thalassa Gramarye: Their biological mother. * Jove Justice: Apollo's biological father. * Dhurke Sahdmadhi: Apollo's adoptive father. The family is particularly important because Apollo and Trucy spend years unaware that they are siblings. Thalassa's identity and her relationship with her children remain unresolved. ### The Fey family * Misty Fey: Mother of Mia and Maya. * Mia Fey: Phoenix's mentor. * Maya Fey: Phoenix's close friend and spirit medium. * Morgan Fey: Maya's aunt and Pearl's mother. * Pearl Fey: Maya's cousin. The Fey family controls the Kurain spirit-channeling tradition. Its internal rivalry and inheritance disputes are responsible for several major tragedies. ### The Edgeworth family * Gregory Edgeworth: Miles' father and a defence attorney. * Miles Edgeworth: Prosecutor and Phoenix's childhood friend. * Manfred von Karma: Gregory's murderer. * Franziska von Karma: Manfred's daughter. The Edgeworth family storyline explores how corruption and revenge can destroy people's understanding of justice. ## 11\. The major antagonists and their crimes | Character | Crimes and significance | Manfred von Karma | Murdered Gregory Edgeworth and manipulated DL-6. | | Redd White | Murdered Mia Fey and used blackmail to maintain power. | | Matt Engarde | Commissioned a murder and manipulated his defence. | | Dahlia Hawthorne | Serial killer responsible for multiple deaths and manipulations. | | Kristoph Gavin | Murdered and manipulated people while practising as a defence attorney. | | The Phantom | International spy who infiltrated the police. | | Blaise Debeste | Abused his political and legal authority. | | Ga'ran Sigatar Khura'in | Established a dictatorship and manipulated an entire kingdom. A recurring aspect of Ace Attorney is that some of its most dangerous villains are respected members of society. The franchise repeatedly demonstrates that professional status and public reputation do not necessarily indicate morality. 12. The overarching storyline and unresolved history Although the franchise follows different protagonists, its stories are connected through the continuing struggle against corruption. Ryunosuke Naruhodo: Establishes the family's legal legacy and exposes corruption in the British legal system. Phoenix Wright: Challenges a corrupt legal system and develops a philosophy centred on protecting innocent people. Miles Edgeworth: Abandons his obsession with perfect prosecution records and becomes committed to discovering the truth. Apollo Justice: Uncovers his family history and helps overthrow an oppressive government. Athena Cykes: Confronts childhood trauma and helps restore confidence in the legal system. Several major character storylines remain open: